Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C07C—ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
  • C07C45/00—Preparation of compounds having >C = O groups bound only to carbon or hydrogen atoms; Preparation of chelates of such compounds
  • C07C45/41—Preparation of compounds having >C = O groups bound only to carbon or hydrogen atoms; Preparation of chelates of such compounds by hydrogenolysis or reduction of carboxylic groups or functional derivatives thereof

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a general process for preparing aromatic aldehydes. More particularly, it relates to the preparation of benzaldehyde and derivatives thereof, such as, for instance, 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzaldehyde.
• the first industrial synthetic method of making 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzaldehyde is based on the catalytic reduction of the chloride of 3,4,5-trimethoxy-benzoic acid, following the method of Rosemund, in aromatic solvent, containing a partial deactivating agent for the catalyst.
• the yields of this process are fluctuating (50-80%) and the quality of the obtained 3,4,5-trimethoxy-benzaldehyde is poor, since considerable amounts of secondary reduction products (like 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzyl alcohol and also 3,4,5-trimethoxy-toluene) are contained in the reaction mixture.
• this process requires the somewhat inconvenient and costly preparation of 3,4,5-trimethoxy-benzoic acid chloride.
• the second industrial process concerns the preparation of 3,4,5-trimethoxy-benzaldehyde starting from vanilline, via 5-bromovanilline and a successive treatement with KOH and methanol is order to obtaine the required product.
• the yield of the second step is not industrially acceptable from the economical point of view. Also using this method, we fail, alter all, to obtain the product in good yields and at low costs.
• the process of the present invention involves the preparation of 3,4,5-trimethoxy-benzaldehyde by reacting, at a first step, 3,4,5-trimethoxy-benzoic acid and ethyl or isobutyl chlorocarbonate, according to the method of mixed anhydrides and, at a second step, and by the catalytic reduction which leads directly from 3,4,5-trimethoxy-benzoyl-ethyl carbonate to the 3,4,5-trimethoxy-benzaldehyde.
• the compound formed during this first step may be directly utilized for the following step without any need of an isolation process.
• the catalyst for the hydrogenation of the mixed anhydride to aldehyde is palladium 10% deposited on barium sulfate for instance (10% Pd/BaSO 4 ENGELHARD) preferably at the ratio of 50% in respect to the amount of 3,4,5-trimethoxy-benzoyl-ethyl carbonate used.
• barium sulfate for instance (10% Pd/BaSO 4 ENGELHARD)
• the catalyst for the hydrogenation of the mixed anhydride to aldehyde is palladium 10% deposited on barium sulfate for instance (10% Pd/BaSO 4 ENGELHARD) preferably at the ratio of 50% in respect to the amount of 3,4,5-trimethoxy-benzoyl-ethyl carbonate used.
• barium sulfate for instance (10% Pd/BaSO 4 ENGELHARD) preferably at the ratio of 50% in respect to the amount of 3,4,5-trimethoxy-benzoyl-ethyl carbonate
• the operation is carried out at ordinary pressure and at room temperature.
• the reduction time is about 6-8 hours. All these conditions must be scrupulously observed in order to avoid the formation of propely products.
• the obtained yields are 90% of the theoretical amount, calculated in respect to the starting acid.
• identity and the degree of purity of the requested product were checked by TLC, gas chromatography, IR, NMR and HPLC. Also the nature of the startery products, which are possibly formed during the catalytic hydrogenation, were ascertained by means of HPLC and NMR.
• the catalyst may be recycled for a certain number of steps and the recovery is always quantitative.
• the reduction process may be continuous or discontinuous, according to the available type of plant.
• the process for preparing aromatic aldehydes comprises the following steps, starting from the corresponding aromatic acid:
• step (b) to hydrogenate the anhydride of step (a) directly to aldehyde for 6 to 8 hours, at atmospheric pressure and room temperature, in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst comprising palladium on barium 10%, which preferably was previously poisoned, partially, with a solution of sulphur and quinoline.
• a hydrogenation catalyst comprising palladium on barium 10%, which preferably was previously poisoned, partially, with a solution of sulphur and quinoline.
• the solution of sulphur and quinoline is between 2.5-6 ⁇ 10 -4 % in sulphur and between 2 to 5 ⁇ 10 -4 % in quinoline and even more preferably 4 ⁇ 10 -4 % in sulphur and 3 ⁇ 10 -4 % in quinoline.
• the amount of the hydrogenation catalyst is preferably 40 to 60% in weight (even more preferably 50% in weight) with respect to the mixed anhydride of step (a).
• the anhydrous solvent of step (a) is preferably proof against the subsequent hydrogenation: therefore, it is not necessary to isolate the mixed anhydride from the reaction step containing the same, before proceeding to hydrogenation thereof.
• tetrahydrofuran is a particularly preferred solvent while other solvents will be evident to one skilled in the art.
• Non-limitative examples of aromatic acids that can be transformed into the corresponding aldehydes by the process of the present invention comprise: benzoic acid; phenylacetic acid; ortho, meta and para-toluic acid; ortho, meta and para chloro (or bromo) benzoic acid; trialkoxybenzoic acids, such as, for instance, 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoic acid and the like.
• the corresponding aldehydes also include benzaldehydes substituted with, lower alkyl radicals, lower alkoxy groups, and halogens, particularly chlorine and bromine. The following non-limitative examples are given for a better elucidation of the described invention.
• the so-formed precipitate is filtered, throughly washed with tetrahydrofuran, and discarded.
• the 3,4,5-trimethoxy-benzoyl-ethyl carbonate may be isolated by means of complete evaporation under a vacuum of the mother liquids at the temperature between 50° C. and 70° C.
• the residue is a white microcristalline solid (26.7 g; yield 94%) with following characteristics:
• the substance is remarkably stable and keeps well also at room temperature. It is not affected by moisture.
• a column thermostated at 25° C., 20 cm long with a diameter of 2 cm is prepared in the following way: at the bottom it is filled with 5 cm of an inert porous support and afterwards with cm 12 of Pd/BaSO 4 (10%) (about 50 g). Finally further cm 5 of the same inert, porous support used for filling the base, are stratified on the top.
• the catalyst is loaded in a moisted state, after a 2 hours treatment with tetrahydrofuran containing 0.2 ml of a solution of sulfur and quinoline prepared as in example I.
• a solution containing g 900 of 3,4,5-trimethoxy-benzoyl-ethyl carbonate (prepared as in Example I, step (a)) in 9000 ml of tetrahydrofuran is percolated from the top of the column through the catalyst, with a flow of 20 ml per minute, whereas a light stream of hydrogen is admitted in conter-current.
• step (b) 9.7 g of benzaldehyde (yield 92%) are obtained.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Organic Low-Molecular-Weight Compounds And Preparation Thereof (AREA)
• Low-Molecular Organic Synthesis Reactions Using Catalysts (AREA)
• Catalysts (AREA)

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Citations (5)

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• 1978
  • 1978-01-27 IT IT47813/78A patent/IT1155795B/it active
• 1979
  • 1979-01-18 NL NL7900396A patent/NL7900396A/xx not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1979-01-18 US US06/004,448 patent/US4240984A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1979-01-19 CH CH54079A patent/CH636333A5/it not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1979-01-23 BE BE193031A patent/BE873647A/xx unknown
  • 1979-01-24 DE DE19792902542 patent/DE2902542A1/de active Granted
  • 1979-01-26 DK DK34079A patent/DK34079A/da not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1979-01-26 LU LU80833A patent/LU80833A1/xx unknown
  • 1979-01-26 FR FR7902126A patent/FR2415615A1/fr active Granted
  • 1979-01-26 CA CA000320390A patent/CA1117980A/en not_active Expired
  • 1979-01-26 AU AU43693/79A patent/AU524947B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 1979-01-26 NO NO790260A patent/NO149544C/no unknown
  • 1979-01-26 ES ES477208A patent/ES477208A1/es not_active Expired
  • 1979-01-26 PT PT7969140A patent/PT69140A/pt unknown
  • 1979-01-26 AT AT0059979A patent/AT367012B/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1979-01-26 SE SE7900717A patent/SE446973B/sv not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1979-01-26 GB GB7902894A patent/GB2013202B/en not_active Expired
  • 1979-01-27 JP JP864879A patent/JPS54117432A/ja active Granted
  • 1979-01-27 GR GR58196A patent/GR65656B/el unknown
  • 1979-01-30 IE IE87/79A patent/IE47907B1/en unknown

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Non-Patent Citations (3)

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